Boxee Box Owner's Thread - Reviews, tips, tricks, bugs and feature requests - Page 210

Originally Posted by jmpage2

Maybe. I find it kind of hard to believe though. That would mean that Disney's contract for distribution through Vudu specifically mentions specific boxes that they allow their titles on, basically an "exclusive" for Roku and the like.

Originally Posted by Chuck_IV

As an FYI. VuDu isn't on the Roku.

After doing a little research, I'm wondering if Disney had issues with their stuff being available on a PC, via the VuDu app on the Boxee PC software(why I have no idea but petty games like this are typical of Disney) and that the contract hasn't been rewritten to add the Boxee Box.

This is where Walmart(who own VuDu) needs to step up and throw it's weight around and stop the providers from singling out of what content VuDu can and can't offer per device. VuDu should be adamant that their content be consistent across devices.

Originally Posted by mbryanr

You are correct, doubt that is the reason...

but-

Never noticed before, but Disney has their own streaming service:
http://disneymoviesonline.go.com/home

Originally Posted by aaronwt

It's still only VUDU on Boxee platforms. Disney titles are still available from VUDU on other devices that have the VUDU application.

There are many, many more PS3 systems out there than Boxee Boxes. If they wanted to see itunes rental succeed over VUDU, eliminating titles from the Boxee applications isn't going to do much since the numbers are so small.

Originally Posted by jmpage2

I invite you to pick the difference between DTS and DTS-HD in a blind listening test. There is a difference, but it is much harder to pick up on than most people think (and harder to differentiate between than Dolby True and DD 5.1 for example).

I have a $2000 AVR and about $3000 in really good older series Boston speakers, as well a pretty good sub from SVS; My hearing is decent, and I still struggle to differentiate the two.

Most people who say they can clearly tell the difference have not done a blind A/B test and are probably fooling themselves on this point.

People get far too hung up on numbers or what light gets lit on their AVR when listening to a movie (when they should be listening to the movie instead of worrying about lights).

In any event, they hope to have it fixed in the next update which is no more than eight weeks away, so end of the world it is not.

Boxee already supports 3D movies from Vudu, they do it in the lower resolution side by side fashion, as the box does not support HDMI 1.4.

I see people agonizing all the time over decisions like this, but at the end of the day this is a $199 toy (substantially less if you buy used or score a deal like some of us did a few weeks ago where it was available for $139). You buy it, get the most out of it that you can for as long as possible, then if you buy something "better" you flip it for 1/2 of what you paid on eBay. I have purchased and sold MANY streamers and the only one I have ended up buying multiple copies of is the Boxee Box.

Originally Posted by jmpage2

It was a one time deal and is no longer available, sorry. I wish I had bought 2 or 3 at that price.

Originally Posted by Ph8te

Unless you have proof of this, its simply not true. Its already been confirmed by Boxee that they don't do this. There is nothing stopping Netflix or Vudu from doing it though when you use their services.

Originally Posted by WDFan1970


It was confirmed by Avner Ronen in his Engadget Webcast last year that they DO. That's proof enough for me...

Originally Posted by Ph8te

Transcript or link? This goes against what they have been saying since the beginning.

Originally Posted by zoro

keep me posted if u see one

Originally Posted by gmd024


Hope this older link works -- check around (5:25) five minutes and 25 seconds into the video from engadget for Avner's confirmation as to how much revenue Boxee realizes from the sale of the D-Link Boxee Box

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/01/t...ndows-phone-7/

If the above link doesn't work - try this one... http://podcasts.aolcdn.com/engadget/...how_006_hd.mp4

Originally Posted by WDFan1970

Boxee is also earning revenue from Data Mining.

That's why the Boxee is the only streamer I know of that REQUIRES you to have an account out on the internet to use it...

Boxee knows EVERYTHING you watch, surf, browse, stream, etc, and they're compiling and selling that data.

Originally Posted by gmd024

Hope this older link works -- check around (5:25) five minutes and 25 seconds into the video from engadget for Avner's confirmation as to how much revenue Boxee realizes from the sale of the D-Link Boxee Box

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/01/t...ndows-phone-7/

If the above link doesn't work - try this one... http://podcasts.aolcdn.com/engadget/...how_006_hd.mp4

Originally Posted by Ph8te

I actually downloaded the video, nut didn't not hear where he said they would be selling user info (even as a possibility) at the time you gave above. I'm quite aware of how much Boxee makes off of hardware sales and have been for quite some time. That was not what was in question here though.

What I heard in the time you gave me was what we already have known since the beginning that Boxee is hoping to make money of of premium content. He also mentioned ads as a possibility, but didn't go into it as much as he has in other podcasts.

As part of the social networking functionality, information about what content users watch is transmitted to Boxee.tv Inc's servers. Concerns have arisen over the use of this information, as Boxee is being created by a for-profit company and possible revenue-generation models for media center applications include the sale of user activity data to advertisers and other interested parties. Boxee's privacy policy[92] does not directly address this issue.

Originally Posted by swak


Quite a few available on ebay, some are going for even less.

Originally Posted by sgvroadster

I agree with you in this one...

I'm in the finance (equites, wealth management, futures and options) industry with expertise in the CE, technical and social media field... and I know venture captitalists don't just pump tens of millions of dollars into an open source free ware company such as Boxee without expecting some kind of return... with you having to login to use Boxee Box is the same way users have to Login into Facebook and Myspace (back in the days)... Facebook and Myspace collects, contains, or you give them information on your profile pages that IS VERY VERY Valuble to marketing firms... the VCs are banking on Boxee's social media platform (requiring login) by getting as much users as possible and collecting important data for later use for either advertisements or marketing opportunites to generate revenue... similar to Facebook refering ads to what you post on your status updates or what you "like" on your profile. From collecting data or track your viewing habits they can effectively target and sell you "suggested" premium content based on what you already are currently streaming from your local network and internet using the Boxee - that is why meta data scraping is web based and not stored on local storage like YAMJ - so by scraping for cover art for your local digital media they will get the info they need on your viewing habits... by this method advertisers and marketing firms see it as very cost effective to target ads and premium contents to someone more likely to buy it... also similar to when AMAZON sends you an e-mail blast with suggested products based off what you have been surfing or viewing... and those page impression ads on websites based on information collected from data mining your PC other web site visits...

Of course he's not going to directly address regarding collecting information important to ad and marketing firms... the same way Mark Zuckerberg keeps not directly addressing his intent with Facebook - it would scare people away and eventaully may face a similar fate as myspace...

This works out either way for Boxee users- they have to improve on their middleware development for media players and they have to improve their firmware stability/fixes to continue their growth of obtaining more boxee users... or they may face a similar fate like the GoogleTV...

Quote on Wikipedia:

Originally Posted by zoro

Thanks. Not new though and not friendly return policy

Originally Posted by Charles R

Back in the day some people declared TiVo evil for tracking what one watched. Personally, if it makes them a few bucks all the better. It lowers my cost... heck I even signed up for their monthly surveys and Field Trials. Worse case TiVo becomes better suited for my needs.

Little Box, lots of updates.
We are constantly working to make the Boxee Box experience the best it can be – and guarantee you will always have the most up-to-datest, most awesomest version of the Boxee software. And with automatic updates, you ain't even got to worry about. We usually send out upgrades, fixes and patches a few times a month. Buy a Boxee Box once, and get the latest version, forever. We Promise

Originally Posted by aaronwt

Depends on where you get them from. The seller I ordered from a few months ago has a 30 day no hassle return warranty on all their sales.
I had two boxes that were bad. They covered return shipping and I got my money refunded including shipping. And At least I got one good box from them at a very reasonable price, around $130 including shipping.

Originally Posted by zoro

can u please pm reference?
trhanks

Originally Posted by wagabond

I have noticed that every time I power cycle the Boxee Box (typically for stuck Boxee Browser ), after startup it takes a while for the Apps to show up. Not just the favorites, even the Full Apps list. Meanwhile the Boxee is indeed online and able to play the videos from the Home Screen.

Is this normal and any tricks to get it to see the Apps faster ?

Originally Posted by wagabond

Is this normal and any tricks to get it to see the Apps faster ?